SIGNALLING AND TELECOMS
36
Rail Engineer • March 2016
Cardiff Area Signalling Renewal (Above) Cardiff SWCC workstations. (Below) Westermo Lynx modems for internal data.
T
he forthcoming resignalling of Cardiff station area is a large complex undertaking and Atkins invited Rail Engineer along to the project offices at Newport to learn about the latest extension planned for the South Wales Control Centre (SWCC).
DAVID BICKELL
The Cardiff area was previously resignalled back in 1966 with the commissioning of Cardiff power box, with standard BR Western Region Henry Williams entrance switch/exit button panel for route setting with ‘E10K’ relay interlockings, similar to that at Swindon described in issue 131 (September 2015). The long panel was split into two sections with the left portion covering the South Wales main line from Marshfield in the east through Cardiff Central station main line Platforms 0-4 (bay Platform 5 no longer exists) to Pontyclun in the west. The right section covers the valley lines from Cardiff Queen Street through Cardiff Central platforms 6 & 7 to Penarth, Cadoxton and Radyr (exclusive). This equipment is now life expired and is being replaced with three new General Electric (GE), Modular Control System (MCS) workstations covering the main lines, Vale of Glamorgan (VoG), and valley lines respectively which interface with Siemens Westlock interlockings. Although the Cardiff Area Signalling Renewal (CASR) project is primarily a renewals scheme, capacity improvements are being introduced to cater for the ever-increasing passenger numbers. Today, Cardiff Central is the busiest station in Wales.
The original station layout did not provide for movements from the Down Main to Platforms 1 and 2. Thus, for example, HSTs from London terminating at Cardiff have to do so in platform 3 or 4, then run forward at the west end before reversing into platform 1 or 2 prior to departure back to the east. This is being addressed by remodelling at the east end and the addition of new routes from the Down Main into platforms 1 or 2, thereby obviating the need for the out and back shunt move, and also freeing up platform 3 for other services. A new through platform 0 was created in 1999 for Up Main local services. With the decline of heavy industry in the valleys and the increase in officebased businesses in Cardiff, the pattern of traffic has changed dramatically, from a procession of heavy coal trains to the docks to an intensive passenger service for commuters for which the island Platform 6/7 is no longer sufficient. Accordingly, a new crossover at the east end allows Platform 4 to be used for Up Valley line services, whilst on the Down side a new Platform 8 is under construction. Thus, on completion of resignalling, four platforms will be available for valley services.
Staged delivery The CASR project embraces a wider area than that of the original Cardiff power box. The various phases are as follows: »» Stage 1 - Mar 2013 - Aberthaw & Llantwit (Bridgend Fringe);